


moonlight (you're my starlight)

by stormss



Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Birthday Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff, Idiots in Love, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-18
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-03-13 09:20:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28775979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stormss/pseuds/stormss
Summary: Carlos barely holds back laughter when he creeps around the corner and gets a full glimpse at the cause of the clanging: his boyfriend, covered in flour, aHappy Birthdaybanner half-hanging from the cabinets.*Carlos Reyes Week, Day 1:Fluff + "I love you, but stop talking."
Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand
Comments: 22
Kudos: 159
Collections: 9-1-1 Lone Star ▶ Carlos Reyes / Tyler Kennedy "TK" Strand, Carlos Reyes Week 2021





	moonlight (you're my starlight)

**Author's Note:**

> happy carlos week/s2 premiere day! 
> 
> i've been waiting for jan. 18th for what feels like...forever, now, and it's so exciting that it's finally here! i basically really wanted to get all of the days filled for carlos week, but forgot how time-consuming online university it, so, yeah. fingers crossed i'll be able to edit/finish writing all seven fics, i have some ideas that i really hope come together! 
> 
> the title is from _levitating_ by dua lipa. as always, come say hi on [tumblr!](https://reyesstrand.tumblr.com/)

Carlos has never been one for making a big deal out of his birthday. 

While he humoured his parents as a kid, letting them go all out with big parties and inviting practically every family member he's ever met along with half of his class, he's grown out of that phase since then. Now, he enjoys keeping things low-key: drinks with friends or a dinner with his mom and sisters. But this year, finding out that he works until six in the morning on the day of his birthday, he finds that he isn't too put out about it. Sure, it'll be rough not being able to spend some quality time with TK, likely milling around and doing nothing while in his patrol car, but he'll get through it. He always does. 

His phone vibrates the moment the clock ticks over to _12:01_. 

Carlos barely bites back a smile at the sight of his boyfriend's face on his screen. He glances out the window of the car and finds that his partner's still waiting in line for their coffees, so he answers the call, already feeling lighter than before as he answers. 

"Hey Ty," he says, sitting back a little in the driver's seat. 

"Hey birthday boy," TK replies, and Carlos can practically hear the smile in his voice. 

He rolls his eyes. "Are you making this a whole thing?" 

"By _this_ do you mean your twenty-seventh birthday? Because of course I am," TK says, accompanied by the background noise he's started affiliating with the firehouse: muffled conversation and machines whirring as they're checked over. 

"You know I don't need anything special," Carlos picks at a loose thread on his uniform coat, feeling a little too exposed even though he's just talking to his boyfriend. "Just you." 

"Sap," TK retorts. "Don't worry, I'm not doing anything crazy. You'll just be graced with my presence all day." 

Carlos huffs out a little laugh. "And I wouldn't ask for anything less." 

"Yeah, you'll love it," TK says, clearly smiling too. "I got a bow to put on and everything." 

"You're such an idiot," Carlos grins, and TK laughs on the other line before they're both interrupted by the sound of the alarms. "I'll let you go. Be safe, baby." 

"You too," TK says, and Carlos can hear the telltale sounds of him jogging toward the ladder-truck. "I'll see you at home." 

They hang up, then, after quickly exchanged _I love you_ 's, and Carlos tries to ignore the uptick in his heartbeat at TK referring to his place as _home._ It's become a common thing, recently, and it couldn't make Carlos happier to hear that his boyfriend's so comfortable with him, now. He lets out a small sigh, and glances at the time. _12:07._

 _Only six hours to go,_ he thinks drily, as his partner returns with two large coffees for the both of them. 

* * *

He's tired in that all-consuming, full-body-ache kind of way when he finally gets home. 

Carlos is quiet as he walks up to his front door, knowing that with TK being done work a few hours before him, he's almost certainly passed out by now. He thinks contently about a hot shower and falling into bed next to his boyfriend, and sleeping for approximately ten hours, even though he knows his internal clock will probably have him up by noon. With a sigh, he shoves his key into the lock and turns it, shouldering into the house. He thinks it's a little strange to see that the kitchen light was left on, knowing his boyfriend is always so adamant about things like that, so he shrugs off his coat and leaves his bag to deal with later to go check things out. He hears clanging, then, and immediately jumps into action. 

And. Well. 

Carlos barely holds back laughter when he creeps around the corner and gets a full glimpse at the cause of the clanging: his boyfriend, covered in flour, a _Happy Birthday_ banner half-hanging from the cabinets. He can see TK bobbing his head to what he figures is music blasting in his headphones, explaining why he didn't hear Carlos coming in, swearing under his breath when he peers into the oven and closes the door a little forcefully. 

He feels touched, really, as he strolls closer and gets a better look at all of the ingredients strewn about, on both his dining table and the countertop. There's both breakfast items as well as the sort of baking paraphernalia he's gotten used to seeing over the past several months of their relationship. His boyfriend's not much of a clean cook—Carlos presses his lips together to keep himself from laughing at the sight of flour covering absolutely every inch of his kitchen, a whole pile of dishes in the sink, various bottles of extracts open and just waiting to be spilled everywhere. 

Finally, TK whirls around to grab something from the island, and nearly jumps three feet in the air. 

"Oh, shit," TK gasps, pressing a hand over his chest. He pulls out his Air-Pods and pulls his phone out of his hoodie pocket, presumably to check the time. "It's already six?" 

"Hello to you, too," Carlos jokes, moving closer to his boyfriend—who happens to be standing in the heart of the mess. He hears the telltale sound of eggshells cracking under his feet, but he surprisingly can't find it in himself to care, not in this moment.

TK's expression softens. "Hey. I was trying to, uh, surprise you?" 

"I can see that," Carlos says with a smile, glancing around the kitchen. "I don't even know what to say." 

"This was all supposed to be more finessed," TK starts babbling, rubbing at the back of his neck before gesturing toward the oven. "But then I realized we didn't have eggs so I had to hunt down a store that was open this late, or early, I guess, and I had to dig out my mom's recipes and then I had to figure out when to put everything in so it'd be ready—" 

"Ty," Carlos says, framing his boyfriend's face between his palms, gently moving his thumbs over his cheeks. "I love you, but stop talking. It's perfect." 

"Really?" TK asks, the slightest flush rising up his neck. 

Carlos hums, moving in to kiss his boyfriend. Against his mouth, he murmurs, "yeah, because _you_ did it." 

As if to punctuate the moment, the poor _Happy Birthday_ banner, which was barely hanging on with the last scrap of tape, falls to the ground. Both of them watch it happen, and simultaneously look at each other the next second. 

They promptly both fall into giggles, pressing their foreheads together.

With a small sigh, TK's hands fall naturally to Carlos' sides, pulling back just enough to look him in the eye. "Happy Birthday, babe." 

"It's my favourite one yet," Carlos admits, ducking in close to kiss TK again. TK smiles into it, moving his hands to grab at his shoulders, moving with Carlos when he presses him back into the counter. 

Eventually, the breakfast attempt is forgotten. The cake might end up a little burnt, but neither of them really care. 

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading! comments/kudos are always appreciated <33


End file.
